Airship



I. WILLIAMS AIRSHIP Filed Oct. 13, 1925 2 SheetsSheet 1 Oct. 23, 1928.. 1,688,769

|. WILLIAMS AIRSHIP Filed Oct. 13, 1925 ZSheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 23, 1928.

UNITED STATES ISRAEL WILLIAMS, LIMA, OHIO.

' AIRSI-IIP.

Application filed October 13, 1925. Serial No. 62,219.

This invention relates to aerial navigation and has for an object the provision of a vessel of large capacity which may be easily controlled, which will have ample sustain ng power and reduced head resistance, and which will ascend in flight without a prolonged pre liminary speed-acquiring run. The inventlon provides a novel strong airshlp having novel means of propulsion and ascent and novel means for maintaining equilibrium wh le n fiight. One embodiment of the invention 1s illustrated in the accompanying drawings and will be hereinafter fully described, the novel features being particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly broken away, of an airship con structed according to my present invention;

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the same;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the lower section of the ship which contains the power plant.

In carrying out the invention, I provldea bottom frame 1 preferably rectangular 111 form and constructed of metallic angle bars to obtain strength with minimum weight.

Uprights 2 are secured to and rise from the bottom frame and sustain the entire superstructure including the top frame 3 and an 1ntermediate deck frame 4, which are of open form and constructed rigidly of metal bars. The greater portion of the bottom frame 1s floored so as to support the operating machinery, the front end of the floor being spaced rearwardly from the front end of the frame and an inclined plane 5 extending upwardly from the front end of the floor to the front end of the frame. The plane 5 is rigidly secured to the framework, and from the point of connection between the plane and the frame a roof frame or plane 6 extends rearwardly parallel with the bottom frame.

mately at the longitudinal center of the vessel, a cabin 7 is built upon the bottom frame to house the main engines or power generators, said cabin extending to the roof frame 6 and being secured thereto so as to be thoroughly braced and rigidly held in place. The roof frame is covered in any manner which will afford the proper protection against the weather without adding excessive weight and the cover terminates short of the rear end of the frame, a rearwardly and downwardly inclined plane 8 being secured to and extending Approxibetween the rear end of the roofing cover and the rear end of the bottom frame, as shown.

Disposed in transverse series in front and rear of the cabin 7 are vertically disposed open-ended tubes 9 and concentric with the tubes, shafts 10 extend therethrough. The lower ends of these shafts are supported, in step bearings in spiders 11 in the lower ends of the respective tubes while the upper ends of the shafts are fitted in anti-friction thrust bearings 12 carried on the under side of the deck frame 4. Within the tubes 9, screw propellers 13 are secured upon the respective shafts 10 and pulleys 1 1 are secured on the shafts above the tubes to be connected through suitable belting with the prime m0- tor or engine in order that the shafts and screws may be rotated. Rotation of the screws will create a flow of air throughthe tubes tending to create a vacuum above them and thereby increasing buoyancy of the ship and facilitating its ascent. By properly regulat ing the rotation, moreover, thedescent may be cont-rolled. In rear of the tubes 9, horizontally disposed tubes 15 are secured upon the bottom frame 1 and extend longitudinally thereof, the rear ends of said tubes extending through the rear plane 8 and the front ends thereof being turned upwardly, as at 16, and projecting through the roof or plane 6. Within the tubes 15 are screws 17 similar to the screws 13, secured upon shafts 18 which extend through the front ends of the tubes and have their terminals 'fitted. in anti-friction thrust bearings 19 carried by some fixed element of the main frame, such as a bracing post 20. .Pulleys 21 are secured upon the shafts to be connected by suitable belts with the source of power. Rotation of the shafts 18with the screws 17 thereon will create a flow of air through the tubes 15 from front to rear which will cooperate with the flow through the tubes 9 to maintain buoyancy, and it may be noted that the thrust of the shafts 10 is upward to aid in lifting the vessel while the thrust of the shafts 18 is forward and aids in propelling the vessel.

Mounted upon the forward portion of the roof deck 6, at the sides of the same, are longitudinal propeller shafts 22 which extend beyond the front end of the main frame and have propeller blades 23 secured radially upon their front ends. These shafts are housed by thereof and pull the ship forward with minimum strain on the driving mechanism. On the front end of the ship in the medial longitudinal plane of the same is a vertical shaft 28 rotatably mounted in bearing brackets 29 on the mainframe and a vertical rudder 30 is carried by said shaft and projects forwardly therefrom, the shaft being located midway ,between the propeller shafts 22. At opposite i. sides of the rudder, guide pulleys 31 are mounted upon the main frame, and steering cables 32 are attached to the front free edge of the rudder and extend therefrom about the guides 31 and thence to a steering shaft 33 about which, or a drum thereon, they are wound. Obviously, by rotating the shaft 33 thecables will be caused to swing the rudder to one or the other side and thereby control the course of the ship. The steering shaft is mounted in suitable bearings on the main frame and extends up into a pilot house 34 which is built upon the top deck 35 under the main sustaining'plane 36. V

The n per deck 4 is located about midwa the heig it of the ship and the top roof dec 35 is located above the deck 4 such a distance as may be desired for the height of a cabin '37 built between them, the pilot house being placed over the front end of the cabin as shown. The interior of the cabin will be finished according'to its use, whether passenger or freight, but its front and rear ends will be inclined downwardly and rearwardly as'shown at 38, whereby the air at the front will be deflected under the cabin to reduce air resistance and the air at the rear will esca e freely and may expand to aid in driving t e vessel forward.

The main sustaining plane 36 covers the entire top frame 3 and is fixed, but its width is greater than the width of the frame so that the side portions of the plane extend laterally beyond the frame to provide a large supporting surface, and on the under side of the plane at its corners are lifting sections 3.9

which are shallow V-shaped, as viewed from the side, so that air currents impinging thereon will be deflected forwardly and rearwardly, playing over the surfaces in such manner asto exert a lifting action thereon. Braces 40 extend from vertical members of the main frame to the laterally extended side portions of the main plane to secure thesame against collapse, and at the front and rear ends of the main plane are hinged adjustable planes 41 to which are pivoted pitmen or links 42 extending topoints accessible from the cabin and the pilot house where they are attached to adjusting wheels 43 operable in an obvious manis pivoted apitman 46 operated by a hand wheel 47 from the bottom deck whereby the plane may be set in the proper position to maintain stability. In alinement with each plane 44, an adjustable plane 48 is hinged at its front end'to the front end of the main frame. and has a pitman 49 attached to its rear end, the pitman being controlled by a hand Wheel 50 to set the plane in a desired position and maintain stability. Braces 51 extend between the frame and the planes 44 to guard against collapse of the planes, and it may be noted that inclined connecting rods 52 may extend between the hand wheels 47, 50 and the planes 45, 48 to support the outer portions of said planes.

Landing wheels 53 are mounted in any approved manner on the, under side of the bottom frame 1, and buffers 54 are also hung thereon. Any number of these buffers may be provided, and they consist of casings or sleeves 55 secured at their upper ends to the frame and open at their lower ends, feet 56 slidabl stops 5; playing in slots 58 in the sleeves, an springs 59 mounted on the sleeves and bearing downwardly on the stops.

It will be seen from the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, that I have provided an airship of large capacity with minimumhead resistance, the form of the cabins turning the air downwardly so that it aids in sustaining the ship while the stream line provides for free escape of air at the rear and its expansion in such a manner that it aids in driving the ship forward. The hinged wings or planes enable the crew to readily effect the adjustment necessary to maintain equilibrium and control the flight while the action of the air screws tends to create a vacuum or greatly reduced air pressure above the engine room or lower cabin, giving a high degree of buoyancy. The form and arrangement of the parts are such as to bring the centre of gravity about in the center of the engine cabin so, that the ship is normally very stable and very slight adjustment will be needed to attain even sailing.

Having fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is

An air ship comprising a frame having a fitting in the sleeves and carrying Oct. 23, 1928.. 1,688,769

|. WILLIAMS AIRSHIP Filed Oct. 13, 1925 ZSheets-Sheet 2 

